


Observations and Inappropriate Questions

by cmk418



Category: Oz (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-08-01
Updated: 2010-08-01
Packaged: 2017-10-31 09:06:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/342308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cmk418/pseuds/cmk418
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>McManus worries too much, asks quasi-inappropriate questions, and generally says the wrong thing.  Did I mention this takes place entirely in the shower room?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Observations and Inappropriate Questions

_That did not happen_ , Tim McManus assured himself as he shed his workout clothes. He did not check out his best friend’s ass on the basketball court. Yes, it was a nice ass. There was no denying that. And it was just there, for the looking as Sean crouched down to tie his shoes. It would have been wrong not to look. Because not looking meant that Tim was trying to cover something up, and Tim definitely was not trying to cover something up.

 _Because there was nothing to cover up._ Sean had a nice ass and it was in Tim’s line of vision for a second. That was all.

Tim stepped into the shower and got under the spray. He felt the tension and muscle strains melt away under the hot water. He closed his eyes, feeling the water cascade over him.

“God, I’m zapped,” said Sean, taking a spot next to Tim. “I think I’m in shape and then you routinely kick my ass around the basketball court.”

“I did nothing to your ass,” Tim stammered. _Fuck me, did I really say that out loud?_

Sean mumbled something under his breath and then turned the spray on.

 _I will not check out my best friend. I will not check out my best friend. I will not check out my – Damn it!_ Tim peeked at Sean’s face, long enough to see the other man with his eyes closed, and reached out and switched his own shower temperature from hot to cold.

_There. That’s the torture I need. Nothing to see here, ladies and gentlemen. Just two straight hacks taking a shower. Soaping up, rinsing off, shivering. Hey, why is Sean shivering? Think of something else, Tim, not the size of Sean’s… goosebumps._

“Wanna grab a beer later?” _What the hell am I doing? I’m not supposed to be asking him for a date. I’ll just take it ba-_

“Sure,” Sean answered without hesitation.

_Because really, why should he hesitate? We go out for beers together all the time. It happens. Then I usually hook up with some girl and take her back to my place. Sean never seems to hook up._

_Huh._

_He’s a good looking guy. As far as guys go. And he’s a hell of a lot nicer than me. A pretty good catch. Never married that I know of. Doesn’t talk a lot about women either. I don’t think that’s necessarily him being chivalrous, but maybe it is._

“You never talk about women.” _Fuck, it’s cold in here._

“Not much to say,” Sean said, turning off his shower.

Tim watched a drop of water fall from the showerhead to a puddle next to Sean’s bare feet.

“Are you sure you want to have this conversation now?”

Tim mentally admitted that Sean had a point. Candid conversations didn’t just happen when one was standing naked in the prison locker room. At the same time, Tim couldn’t shake the feeling that if they didn’t address it now, they never would. Stalling for a moment, Tim turned off the water.

_Sean never talks about women. Of course, he doesn’t talk about men either so it could all be nothing. And what if he’s involved but hasn’t told me? Jesus, that would be awkward._

Tim took the scenic route back to Sean’s face. If there was such a thing as a sympathetic smirk, it was the expression that Sean wore now.

“Have you changed your mind?” Sean asked quietly.

“Um, no.”

“You need to put some clothes on?”

Tim’s eyes slid down to his own cock. _Status quo._ “Nah, I’m good.”

“You look cold.”

“Body heat,” replied Tim with all the enthusiasm he’d shown in his last pitch to Leo.

“Huh?”

 _Crap! You’ll scare him off._ “The movie starring Kathleen Turner and William Hurt. I’ve been trying to remember it all day.”

“Oh,” said Sean, sounding a little disappointed to Tim’s ears.

“But also good for warming people up. Who are cold.”

“Maybe we should just-“ Sean started to turn away.

Tim shot out a hand and caught Sean around the elbow. “Why don’t you ever talk about women, Sean?”

“I think you do enough talking for both of us, buddy.”

“Sorry. Is there some special lady you want to tell me about now?”

“Not at the moment.”

_Thank you, Jesus._

_Of course, it doesn’t rule out the other possibility._

“Is there some special man?”

“That’s quite a leap you’ve made there, my friend.”

“You took my cousin to the Senior Prom. Tons of girls wanted to take you. I know because they kept asking me if you had a date. And you took my cousin. My lesbian cousin.”

“She wasn’t out at the time.”

“Doesn’t matter. I wasn’t surprised when she came out. I actually handled it pretty well as a matter of fact.”

“Yeah, she told me. You were a real prince.”

“I’m just saying-“

“Handling it well with a cousin that you only see a couple times a year at Thanksgiving and the McManus family reunion and handling it well with your best friend who you see every day are two different things, Tim.”

“I- hold on a minute. Did you just come out to me?”

“I think so. Yeah. Crap. I was going to be a little more eloquent than this. Eventually. When I told you. Eventually.”

“Why eventually?”

“’Cause I’m not like you. I don’t feel a need to say everything the moment I experience it.”

“There’s been experiences?”

“A few. I’m gay, not a monk.”

“And I don’t say everything. I’ll have you know I’m capable of great restraint.”

“Like what?”

“Like I didn’t tell you that you’ve got a nice ass.”

Sean blinked. “I’m sorry. What?”

 _Damn it, Tim, just keep your mouth shut._ “Maybe we should go for that beer now.”

Sean watched a drop of water trail down Tim’s throat. “I might regret asking this, but is there anything else on me that you think is nice?”

“Yeah.”

Sean didn’t say anything for a moment.

 _Damn it._ “You’ve got a good sense of humor.”

Sean scowled. Tim could feel the deep sigh about to come off the other man before he heard it. “Okay, Tim, thanks.”

“I think your hands are nice,” he blurted out. _Maybe I should ask Sean to bring me a shovel pretty soon so I can bury myself deeper._

“Are you for real?”

“I’ve always thought so.” And when Tim said it, he realized that it wasn’t just a line of bullshit designed to keep Sean in the room. It was actually true. “And your arms.”

“It’s the boxing,” Sean responded with a shake of his head.

“You don’t feel like hitting me right now, do you?”

“Nah. I’ll wait til you’re fully clothed to knock you out.”

“Good to hear. I guess.” _So I’m safe as long as I stay naked. Well, that’s a bit of a mixed blessing._ “Sean. Can I ask you something?”

Sean actually had the nerve to laugh at that. “Might as well.”

“Um.” _This is fucking hard because it’s Sean and everything has already gotten so fucked up and maybe I should just forget I said anything about asking anymore questions and Sean is over there locking the door and-_

_Sean is Locking. The. Door._

_Jesus._

“Um,” he said again because he was a complete idiot and his brain short-circuited and _what the hell am I going to ask Sean anyway?_ And then Sean turned back to face him and…

_Jesus._

Maybe the water in Sean’s shower wasn’t as cold as what he’d endured. _Really impressive recovery time_ , he thought, then catalogued it in his brain along with the other fine qualities that made up his best friend.

“What’s the question?”

“I’m not sure there is one anymore.”

“Well, what _was_ the question?” This was the thing that made Sean an excellent C.O. and an annoying pain in the neck at times – his sheer refusal to let anyone get away with anything.

“I was just wondering if you were attracted to me at all.”

“Oh,” he said. For a moment, Sean looked stunned, and then he said. “Tim, I-“

_Shit. He’s looking for an out. It’s okay. I’m okay. Really. I’m just gonna get out of here before this gets any weirder and then tomorrow we can pretend none of this ever-_

Tim started to leave. He could hear Sean mumble something behind him. (It sounded like a curse, but Tim couldn’t be sure). Then Sean cleared his throat, and finally-

“Yes.”

“Yes?” _What was the question again? Is ‘yes’ what I want to hear?_

And then there was the feel of cold tile against his back and Sean’s body leaned into him and Sean’s lips crushed his and there was a hand…

_…oh Christ yes, Sean’s hands are really, really nice._

A thousand and one thoughts seemed to pass through Tim’s mind all at once, most of them variations on the theme of _is this going to totally destroy our friendship?_

So, he tapped Sean on the shoulder because at some point in this process Sean had gotten down on his knees and…

_…hold that thought._

“What?” Sean said, a little breathlessly as he looked up at Tim.

“Sorry. Just… is this okay?”

Sean chuckled and gave Tim an appropriate non-verbal response.

Tim’s head banged against the tile of the shower wall. His fingers tangled in Sean’s hair. It was weird, doing this with his best friend. His mutually-consenting male best friend and subordinate in the workplace.

While they were at the workplace.

_Jesus._

Well, not technically the workplace, the shower room, which wasn’t technically the same as the shower room in Em City.

_And wouldn’t that be hot._

Kind of like what Sean was doing to his ass right now.

_There will be plenty of time for self-examination later._


End file.
